two more messenger bags

I just managed to crank out these messenger bags from my stash for my two girls in time for Valentines Day. Well, Valentines Dinner I guess. Actually, more like right before their Valentines Bedtime. I don't really feel elaborate presents are required on Valentines, besides the requisite chocolate, but these bags were so overdue for them. They've carried the same little raggedy church totes I made them ever since they were babies, so it was high time they had new bags to carry their Bibles and notebooks.

I made plans to sew these months ago, and all of a sudden Saturday arrived and I realized I had until Monday to design and sew both bags. Story of my life. My calendar is out to get me.

  

Thing 2 had requested a doggie bag at some point in the distant past, so this is what I came up with. She's six, so I figured this was still cool for her to carry around.

The flap is from a thrifted tweed skirt (that turned out to be a bit too mini for me) and the body of the bag is some heavyweight green canvas that was also thrifted. The dog's face is appliqued using fleece and felted wool I had on hand. His floppity ears are fleece and cotton. I don't know why I chose those buttons. I had some black ones, but I liked the slightly crazed look of these two mismatched ones. Probably because it matched the look of my own at the time.

 

The lining is brown and turquoise cotton.

 Sorry for the wrinkles.

Thing 1's bag got a row of felted wool heart appliques with wool-blend felt hearts on top, because she is eight. Eight year old girls may decide at any moment that fuzzy, floppy eared animal bags are too babyish.

The body of the bag is dark blue denim and the flap is some olive-ish brown-ish heavyweight thrifted fabric. Of course I found out about halfway through construction that the stash denim I was using on the first round had lycra built in, which made it a stinking nightmare to sew in pencil pockets and match it together with the lining. I ended up having to go to Joann and purchase some denim that had no lycra and begin again. That's always nice when you are short on time.

 

 The lining is some AMH I had in my stash.

 

Our kitchen still looks Valentiney. (The green walls will soon be a light oyster. Can't wait.) The girls requested to keep our decorations up for the rest of the week. Why not? They both cut out a bunch of 

hearts from paper scraps and I sewed them together like I've seen on several crafty blogs this year. The effect is so lovely. The hearts constantly twirl on any breath of air, and the sun shines through them from the windows. At night they are lit by the pendant light. Big aesthetic bang for zero bucks.

 My dreamy renaissance man baked cupcakes with the kids last weekend. Pink cream cheese frosting from scratch. I do love him so.

Thanks so much for all the comments on the You'll Do Valentine. That was a hoot. We had a swell Valentines Day, and I hope you all did too.  It was a day with (other than manic bag sewing) some garland making, homemade valentines, unrestrained cupcake eating (which began at breakfast), and a quiet lovey dovey family dinner at home.

handmade gifts 2010: Weekend-Away Travel Bag

I sewed my first item from my copy of Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross, the little zippered travel bag for my niece Erin. I've had the book a long while so I'm glad this gift gave me the excuse I was looking for to break into its patterns.

I also gave her a copy of Denyse Schmidt Quilts as part of her gift, and that's where I got the idea for the flower and vine applique on the bag. The vine runs underneath the bag and the flower motif repeats on the opposite side of the bag. After flipping through Erin's copy of the book I decided I needed a copy of DS Quilts for myself, so hopefully I will soon be getting that for a birthday gift from my lovely, gracious, and did I mention generous sister, Lita.


It's a nice sized bag, and would be ideal for a makeup or small toiletries bag. I like how Heather designed it to have no unfinished edges inside, but I think I might just add some bias binding to the inside seams next time and avoid all the turning.


I added a cotton webbing handle because Erin is always running out the door somewhere and it would be easier to grab when you have ten other things in your hands, including the cutest boy toddler in the world.